Rapini

Alturiak 12th, 1491 DR

I usually don’t keep a journal, but ah, what the hell? Can’t hurt to experience something new, right? Hahahaha.

The past couple of weeks have been fun! I finally broke away from my family’s jester traditions for the Marshalls, and I’m now off adventuring on my own. People seem to love my music and stories, and my juggling has wooed a damsel or two as well! This whole gig seems to have a lot of walking in it, though — more walking than I thought I’d ever do in my life.

Alas, that’s one of the keys of being an adventurer: keep on walking, kill some evil people, and almost die a bunch. But I feel like I’m getting stronger, wiser, and much more skilled in the arts of the arcane. I even worked in some of my new skills to my entertainer’s act!

My allies are interesting folks, and they seem to enjoy my antics for the most part. Eredan is an old elf druid/dude, and Phi is a quiet elf lady – they both seem more serious than silly. But hey, nothing wrong with a little seriousness in life. I know full well that I could use some more of that. Hells, Eleanor might have been right about me, even after all of these years…

But this is no time to lose focus. I must get my father’s instrument back, at (almost) any cost. These elves didn’t seem to know anything about the Nine Hells, but I’m sure we’ll all find out about them sooner or later. Just need to keep on smiling, thats key amongst the Gnomes – we find solutions instead of griping about our problems. I just need some more money, resources, and information before I can tackle my own personal demons.

Our small party is off to Rabanastre today, escorting a small trader on the “dangerous road” to the city. Who knows, maybe I’ll encounter more intimate experiences with death, (like I have a few times already)? Did you know that death appears not as the grim reaper, but as whoever you want it to be? My grim reaper looked strangely like Phi, and said something along the lines of “Damn halfling, drink this healing potion.”

And then that older Eredan fellow seems so stern all the time. Either he’s a monstrous, flesh-eating bear, or an old elf who won’t let me try on the super-secret super-cool mysterious cape that we found! What a meanie. Ah well, I’m sure there will be more enlivening relics to find and look cool with.

-Wenlock

P.S. I’m the greatest entertainer in the land.

P.P.S. I don’t know why I wrote that P.S., no one else will read this but me. This isn’t a letter, silly. Still, it’s true.

The sky was barren as dusk dawned above them. An ominous line of orange light made the trees around her appeared to be burning, but only for a second, before being swallowed by the black sky. And that’s all Phi chose to remember from her night in the Wild Wood. There had been so many deaths surrounding her new party of companions. Ones she herself could not justify. It was not a direct order from the Hidden Ones. Not a revenge plot. Just a simple distinction between good and evil. How arbitrary. You could not measure good and evil. Not enough to make a judgement through the eyes of a God.

She remembered the bard accusing her of not using her real name. But he would never know forsure that he was right. She remembered giving herself the new name. Ph. The sound made by obstructing airflow as the air travel through the larynx and out of your mouth. In mathematics, the character was a universal symbol used to denote the golden ratio. A simple equation behind all beauty. Another simple explanation to solve what many considered unanswerable. Her old name beared no meaning, making it easy to leave behind.

Lanaya. The Templar Assassin.

She shivered. Remembering her fathering standing in front of her pleading for his life in the enchanted parallel to the Wild Wood. An illusion. But of a memory. How did the old hag break into her shielded mind? Trying to strike a chord of emotion, remorse. Phi remembered not budging. Her cold hard eyes remained focused on the hag’s new form. Her expressionless face cold and distant as she kept the blade to her father’s throat. But it worked, didn’t it? They had spared that bloody creature. She was one of the few who treaded on their path and left with her life. Coincidence? There was no such thing.

Their stay in Farehold had brought them a pleasant night rekindling with a former ally. She would perhaps even consider him a friend. The smell of blueberry pie had blossomed through his home and filled her nostrils, which was enough for her. The face of a familiar friend was as warm as the pie as he had appeared to take on the orcs with them earlier that day. Together, they had defended his home to protect his wife and soon to be born child. Death surrounded them, but in this home held the potential for life. The thought soothed her to sleep.

As they sat in the inn, Wenlock drinking more than he can handle and Erdan not nearly enough for his size. Phi began to wonder what the point of a day was without conflict. It seemed like it was all they knew recently. She nibbled on her rice and pork wrapped in leaves, and Wenlock went up to the stage and played a tune. The night was peaceful. So peaceful, it made her scared.

Hammer 25th, 1491 DR: Seven more days and this month long journey across The Pearl Sea will be over. The sea is not something I have ever been comfortable with, I can barely feel my homeland from here and every day it’s become harder. However, I have grown found of the captain and his crew, we have been though a lot since we left Oakenfall Port. Callio said once I arrive in Vafa’i I should make my way towards the village of Fairholde and meet with a man named Finbar.

Alturiak 2nd, 1491 DR: Arrival at Mako’s Cove came with much relief and joy from the crew and myself. Having land underneath my feet for the first time in over a month rejuvenated me. Something about Vafa’i feels very different from home, I feel very uneasy here. The Scarring has done a number on the people here, you can see it in their faces. Something binds them to the past. I said goodbye to Captain Greenthumb and his crew, they gave me some provisions and helped me with transportation to Fairholde.

Alturiak 3rd, 1491 DR: It was a one day journey from Mako’s. The stablemaster offered me a cot in his barn to sleep on, he says Finbar will be here with two others in a horse drawn cart before first light. Who are the other people? Why has Callio sent me here?

Alturiak 4th, 1491 DR: The morning is beautiful and the road is so peaceful. The winter here is much milder than expected. It’s crisp out but not as cold as one would expect in the Claw of Winter, even the birds have stuck around. Finbar is an older human male he has a great big beard of brown and grey hairs, he looks like he has seen his fair share of adventurers. He explains to us that we are to retrieve an artifact from a stronghold in the Wild Wood and return it to a man name Yev. My two companions are that of a Moon Elf and a Gnome. The Moon Elf said her name was Phi, a curious name for a curious girl. She is young but her eyes might have you believe otherwise, they have seen much. The Gnome’s name was too long and plentiful to remember, I was able to catch one of them, Wenlock. Wenlock is rather tall for a gnome and he plays the fiddle like nobody I have ever seen before. Rider’s approaching from behind us. Bandits!
The bandits were the least of our troubles. We learned from one of the bandits, a man name Rowan, that he was sent to stop our convoy by somebody in Rabanastre, he said if we go to the Thirsty Flagon and ask for the Ruby Room we should answers. After that we deemed the road to be too dangerous to continue on and Finbar assured us that our destination wasn’t too far off now, so we ventured deep into the Wild Wood. The Wild Wood is where I felt the most uneasy. I have never been in a forest so devoid of magical essence, it was almost as if every ounce of magic was sucked out of the forest. We followed some blinking lights to a very old tree that had a portal in it. The portal lead us to the feywilds. I have only ever heard stories of the Feywilds from the elders back home, but never have I seen them for myself. It was overwhelming. 40 years it has been since i’ve seen home.. 40 long years. That was the first time since then that I have felt this strong a connection to home. We had a run in with a Hag named Agatha. We had a tough fight against her but ultimately we befriended her and let her go. When we left the Feywilds Wenlocks memory of it was wiped clean, he still doesn’t believe that it happened. Finbar led us the rest of the way to our destination and departed. I am taking first watch currently, it’s been a long day and these two deserve a rest.

Alturiak 5th, 1491 DR: The decor in the dungeon was that of old elven artistry. Bones littered the halls and the rooms. We came across a mural that depicted The Great War only that the outcome was that of Odilea, The Oathbreaker being seen as a hero instead of the villain that the stories would have you believe her to be. We were attacked by skeletons, they raised up out of nowhere and attacked. We were able to fight them off, not without almost losing Wenlock. We are unsure about what triggered them to attack, so to be safe we burned the rest of the bones and made camp to rest up before venturing further into the tunnels.

Alturiak 6th, 1491 DR: Being in this grove and sitting under this ancient Tree with my companion’s has brought much ease to my mind. I had feared that this land had lost all magical essence whatsoever, but there is still some hope. We came a across a Red Cape once in the grove. It is laced with golden trim of nature aesthetics. The Tree, which described itself as ‘The Watcher of The Way’ told us that the cape had strange powers and it should not fall into the hands of evil. We talked in sylvan for sometime and it grew to trust me and my party. The Watcher entrusted us with the cape on the promise that we protect from evil.
Both the grove and The Watcher are losing it’s power and beginning to die, i’ll take some seedlings before we leave to plant elsewhere and hopefully bring some magic to this desolate place.

Alturiak 7th-8th, 1491 DR: It’s mid day on the second day of our return trip, only a few hours out from Fairholde now. I ended up adding the cape to my possessions, folding it and placing it in my pack. I’ve noticed that the both Wenlock and Phi have been eyeing my pack since we left. Phi especially seems apprehensive towards me holding on to it. I won’t think anymore on this subject, trust is important to the fabric of any group.

Alturiak 9th,1491 DR: Fairholde was being attacked by orcs when we go here. We were able to handle them without much harm. I had to change form in order to fight, I took the form of a great brown bear. I’m not sure how Wenlock and Phi felt about it, but it helped us get the job done. We saved Finbar and his wife, Venna, from orcs attacking their oddly shaped home. During the fight a mysterious Drow named Sibil aided us and then vanished just as quickly as he appeared. Drow are never a good sign, they cause nothing but pain and shouldn’t be easily trusted. We are spending the night at Finbar’s home tonight. Being able to lay on real furniture will be a welcomed change.

Alturiak 10th, 1491 DR: The day was spent stocking up on provisions and meeting some locals. They all seemed unphased by the battle that took place last night, I suppose they are use to it being an adventurer’s town after all. However, the presence of orcs this far north was a bit alarming to them.
We met the owner of the noble and bard, a hardy dwarf name Ukrag. Dwarves are good people, always welcoming and charming. Wenlock made a deal with him to perform this evening for room and board, he obliged.
We were also to meet a man named Yev that evening about the quest we were given. We planned to not mention the cape and learn as much as possible about him and his employer. Wenlock was able to charm him after almost losing control of the entire situation, we learned of a cult and weekly meeting that would be happening the next night. We sat with Yev and drank mead and watched Wenlock perform songs and sing of adventures. The performancing was entrancing. I had noticed not a single soul in the bar was not enjoying themselves, even Phi try as she might. Gonna try and relax now, it’s been a long couple of days.
It’s about 3 in the morning, I don’t know what happened to me.. There wasn’t much to keep watch of in the inn so I tried on the Red Cape. It’s hard to explain what I felt or saw. It was as if I was weightless, but not like flying or swinging from a tall tree, it was different. There were many paths that were opened around me… Doors and walkways and stairs. There was this one door. I don’t know why but I opened it and entered. There was a blinding light so I closed my eyes, when I opened them I was in the alley where we met with Yev. Almost no time had passed though it felt like hours had. I returned to our room to find nothing was different then when I left. Left? Did I leave? How? I need to be full strength for tomorrow, I must rest.

Alturiak 11th, 1491 DR: We were able to locate and stop the cultists ritual. We weren’t able to figure out exactly what they were doing, but when something involves a blood ritual and talk of a returning demon lord it must be stopped. Sibil was there, although this time not as an ally. We managed to kill the warlock before he was able to cause too many problems for us and then took care of the other cultists. It was a messy fight and Sibil escaped with a threat. I will keep my eyes out for that boy, he cannot be trusted.
We prepare ourselves for the long journey to the great city of Rabanastre in the morning. We have agreed to escort a trader made Hardaa to the city, he knows the way but is in need of protection since the road can be full of danger.